Securing the modern network with Cisco Meraki and SASE

26/11/24 Wavenet
Software developers collaborating on data coding group project while sitting at desk.

Embracing a new era of network security solutions

With the adoption of remote work, cloud services, and IoT devices, the traditional network security perimeter is no longer sufficient. This evolving paradigm demands a new approach to network security—one that is dynamic, scalable, and integrated. Leveraging the powerful combination of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) combined with Cisco Meraki’s cloud-managed networking offers a robust solution. 

Transforming network security with Cisco Meraki and SASE  

Discover how Cisco Meraki and SASE seamlessly integrate to enhance network security strategies, ensuring robust protection for digital environments and preparing organisations for future challenges. 

Evolving network security in a decentralised world 

Past models focused on perimeter security around headquarters. Now, with decentralised workforces, cloud applications, and remote devices, businesses face increased cyber risks and compliance challenges, demanding more advanced security solutions. 

The key challenges facing IT teams today

  • Decentralised workforces: Employees now work from anywhere, using a variety of devices and accessing resources that are no longer confined to on-premises data centres. This decentralisation makes it difficult to maintain consistent security policies and visibility.
  • Fragmented security solutions: Many organisations have accumulated a mix of security tools from different vendors, leading to complex, siloed environments that are hard to manage and monitor. This fragmentation creates security gaps that adversaries can exploit.
  • Increased cyber threats: Cyber attacks are more sophisticated and frequent than ever. Ransomware, phishing, and zero-day exploits are just a few of the threats that require a robust, comprehensive defence strategy.
  • Need for scalability and agility: As businesses grow and evolve, so must their networks. Traditional security architectures struggle to keep up with rapid changes, often resulting in bottlenecks and degraded performance.

How Cisco Meraki cloud-managed networking with SASE address IT challenges

  1. Unified security and networking: Cisco Meraki’s cloud-managed platform integrates seamlessly with SASE, combining networking and security functions into a single, cloud-native service. This unification simplifies network management and security, providing a consistent and comprehensive approach that adapts to the modern, distributed workforce.
  2. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Meraki’s approach to ZTNA ensures that every connection to the network is authenticated and authorised, regardless of the user’s location or device. This model assumes that no user or device is inherently trusted, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
  3. Advanced threat protection: SASE integrates advanced security features such as secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security brokers (CASB), and next-generation firewall (NGFW) capabilities. Cisco Meraki enhances this with intelligent threat detection and response, utilising machine learning to identify and mitigate threats in real time.
  4. Simplified management with a single pane of glass: Meraki’s intuitive dashboard provides IT teams with a single, unified view of their entire network. This single-pane-of-glass approach streamlines the management of networking and security policies, making it easier to enforce security measures consistently across all locations and devices.
  5. Scalability and flexibility: Whether adding new branch locations, expanding remote access, or integrating new applications, Cisco Meraki and SASE provide the scalability needed to grow without compromising security or performance. The cloud-native architecture allows for rapid deployment and easy scalability, keeping pace with business needs.
  6. Enhanced User Experience: By streamlining traffic paths and prioritising critical applications, Cisco Meraki ensures that users enjoy a seamless experience, regardless of their location. This is particularly important for remote workers who rely on consistent access to cloud-based applications.

The integration of Cisco Meraki with SASE represents a transformative shift in how organisations can approach network security. By unifying networking and security into a single, cloud-native solution, businesses can better secure their digital landscapes, reduce complexity, and empower their IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than tactical firefighting.

In an era where the network perimeter is constantly shifting, Cisco Meraki and SASE offer the agility, security, and simplicity needed to thrive. If you’re ready to explore how this solution can secure your modern network, reach out to us for a personalised consultation.

Next steps...

To find out more information on SASE and the services we can offer click the button below:

Learn more

 

To make an enquiry or request a call back:

Talk to us

 

Cisco, SASE, Meraki, Network Security

Latest blogs

See all posts
penetration testing
You’re probably right about your security gaps, here’s how to prove it

Have you carried out your penetration testing yet? Whether the answer is yes or no, it’s vital to ask whether you’re testing the right things - or simply making assumptions.

Read more
cyber security
What is VAPT? A complete guide to Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing

With cyber threats posing a serious risk to businesses of all sizes, attackers are constantly probing networks, applications, and systems for weaknesses - and unless organisations take proactive steps to identify and remediate those vulnerabilities, costly data breaches are increasingly likely.

Read more
Placeholder thumbnail
Business continuity software: from compliance tool to strategic advantage

For many organisations, business continuity software still sits in the category of “necessary but non-essential”, a line item justified by regulation or audit, rather than by value. Too often, it’s viewed as an insurance policy that rarely gets used and delivers little measurable return. That perception is understandable. But it’s also fundamentally flawed. After more than three decades working across business continuity, operational resilience, and crisis management, I’ve seen first-hand how organisations behave under pressure. I’ve also worked with a wide range of continuity platforms, some impressive, others far less so. What has become increasingly clear is this: when the right software is implemented well, it materially strengthens an organisation’s ability to withstand disruption. And the larger and more complex the organisation, the greater that advantage becomes. Clarity in the moments that matter most Disruption compresses time and amplifies uncertainty. In those moments, resilience is not about having a document on a shelf, it’s about having absolute clarity on what needs to happen next. When an incident unfolds, leaders and response teams must be able to answer critical questions immediately: What actions need to be taken, and in what order? Who needs to be informed, and what do they need to know? Which services are truly critical and must be prioritised? Where and how will those services be recovered? And if recovery isn’t possible, what is the agreed fallback? Most organisations already hold the answers to these questions, but they’re scattered across spreadsheets, documents, and systems, often owned by different teams and updated at different times. In a crisis, that fragmentation quickly becomes a liability. This is where business continuity software proves its value. At its best, business continuity software does far more than store plans. It helps organisations understand themselves. By capturing and structuring information on critical services, recovery objectives, and the dependencies that underpin them, these platforms provide visibility that simply isn’t achievable through manual approaches alone. Technology, suppliers, facilities, data, and key people can all be mapped in a way that shows not just what’s important, but why it’s important and what it depends on. This insight enables organisations to create clear, actionable response strategies, playbooks, and contact groups that can be relied upon under pressure. It also allows teams to challenge assumptions, identify single points of failure, and uncover hidden risks before an incident exposes them. Many modern platforms also support real-time dependency analysis and data-gap reporting. This makes it possible to visualise upstream and downstream impacts and quickly understand the consequences of disruption. Attempting this level of analysis using spreadsheets or disconnected documents is slow, inefficient, and highly prone to human error, particularly during an incident. A single source of truth, when you need it most Another often overlooked benefit of business continuity software is the ability to act as a central, trusted source of truth. When offices are inaccessible, internal systems are unavailable, or teams are working remotely, continuity information still needs to be accessible. Secure, off-site platforms, typically available via both web browser and mobile, ensure that plans, contacts, and response information remain available even when the organisation itself is under strain. In practice, this accessibility can be the difference between a coordinated response and a reactive scramble. How business continuity software supports resilience Increasingly, business continuity software is being used not just to support response, but to underpin broader operational resilience objectives. Platforms such as Shadow-Planner, for example, are designed to help organisations move beyond static documentation and treat resilience as a living capability. By bringing together critical service identification, dependency mapping, recovery planning, and crisis response within a single environment, such tools help organisations maintain a clear, current view of their operational risk landscape. Used effectively, business continuity software supports better decision-making, clearer accountability, and faster mobilisation during disruption. It reduces reliance on individual knowledge, simplifies complexity, and helps ensure that the right information is available to the right people at the right time. Key takeaways Business continuity software should not be viewed as a compliance artefact or an emergency-only tool. When implemented and maintained properly, it becomes a strategic enabler, one that reduces risk, strengthens preparedness, and supports confident, coordinated action when disruption occurs. In an environment where resilience is increasingly scrutinised by regulators, customers, and boards alike, the real value of these platforms lies not in the software itself, but in the organisational clarity they enable. The right business continuity software doesn’t just help organisations respond to incidents. It helps make them stronger. By embedding resilience into everyday operations, it improves visibility of critical services, keeps plans accurate and actionable, and supports better decision-making. Business continuity becomes part of how the organisation operates, not just something it turns to in a crisis. About the author Colin Jeffs MBCI transitioned into business continuity from IT project management, where resilience was a core requirement of system implementation. He has over 30 years’ experience in business continuity, operational resilience, and crisis management, holding senior leadership roles within major financial institutions in the City of London. Colin now leads Wavenet’s award-winning operational resilience consulting and software division and co-designed the latest version of Shadow-Planner.

Read more
Placeholder thumbnail
What is XDR? The benefits of managed XDR for cyber security

What does XDR stand for? XDR stands for Extended Detection and Response. It is an integrated cyber security approach designed to deliver comprehensive visibility across an organisation’s entire IT environment.

Read more
managed soc
What is a Managed SOC? Key benefits and how it protects your business

With cyber security threats evolving at an unprecedented pace - businesses face constant challenges in safeguarding their data and systems. Managed Security Operations Centres (SOCs) offer a solution to these challenges. They provide round-the-clock monitoring and management of security incidents. This service is crucial for businesses aiming to protect their assets.

Read more
colocation-services
Major business benefits of colocation: cost, efficiency, security & continuity

Managing servers and infrastructure can be costly and complex. Colocation services offer a strategic solution.

Read more

Stay service-savvy

Get all the latest news and insights straight to your inbox.